At first glance, New York Giants prized first-round pick Saquon Barkley, looks like a small freight train on his way to run for a glorious touchdown. Barkley astounds viewers with his massive calves and colossal upper body.

Dallas Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliot presents himself in a similar way – lean, built, and ready to carry his team on his massive shoulders. Despite the physical similarities, the two players are vastly different. One is a proven NFL star and the other an incoming rookie with some of the most impressive measurable the league has ever seen. Running a 40-yard dash in 4.30 seconds at 234-pounds is pure insanity, and GM Dave Gettleman for the Giants realized that early on in the draft process.

After watching Barkley make several jump-cuts to avoid tacklers and take the ball to the house from his own half, Gettleman immediately knew who the Giants were selecting, and he didn’t waiver from his initial thoughts by the media or his counterparts.

The primary difference between Barkley and Elliot:

Taking a look at both backs you can see a world of talent, but the primary difference for Barkley is his extraordinary personality and leadership abilities. He has humor, respect, humbleness, and the ability to lead his teammates into battle. Elliot on the other hand lacks this characteristic – the various legal issues attest to that.

What Elliot has is proof of success, as he makes a significant difference on his team. When the running back was suspended last season, the Cowboys and Dak Prescott faltered as a result. In two seasons, Elliot has racked up 22 total rushing touchdowns and three receiving. He also missed 1,000 rushing yards by only 17 yards in only 10 games last season.

While Elliot has proven his ability on the field, Barkley has the capability to equal his stats if not more. With a veteran quarterback, a star receiver, starlet tight end, and rejuvenated offensive line, Barkley will have all of the tools to keep the offense unpredictable and forward thinking.

The most lethal aspect of both running backs:

The most lethal ability of both backs is their ability to catch the ball out of the backfield in addition to running the ball. Barkley has only dropped one pass since beginning rookie camp with the Giants – an impressive bout considering the amount of action he gets.

Zeke on the other hand has over 620 yards receiving in 25 games, averaging out at about 25 yards receiving per-game. We can even make the assumption that Barkley is more of a threat in the passing game and will enjoy better stats in that aspect of the game.

Overall, both backs have tremendous talent and are still young professionals. Barkley likely has more potential, but Elliot has already proven his worth in the NFL. We will soon see how the Giants’ back will take on a starting role on a team trying to bounce back from a 3-13 season.